Interviews with purpose-driven leaders who are dedicated to helping others and making a positive impact in the world.
May 9, 2024
Marcy Willard | Cadey
TELL US, WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO?
Hi, I’m Marcy Willard, and I’m the CEO of Cadey, a child psychology platform and mobile app.
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
I was working in the field of clinical child psychology with my co-founder and we were busily helping families. Almost invariably, they would ask at the beginning, “How do I help him?” The families would look at us at the end of the assessments and interventions and express their gratitude. They finally knew how to help their kids and were beginning a path to healing. But then, they would say, “My only question is, where were you five years ago?” “Where were you when he was getting kicked out of kindergarten?” “Where were you when I used to bawl my eyes out in the parking lot after dropping my daughter off for preschool, knowing that I would get that call from the director that she hit someone and needed to be picked up?” We were haunted by those questions and knew that we had to do something. We wondered if it was even possible to multiply the psychologist with technology. That’s why we started Cadey.
WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR? WHY IS THIS WORK IMPORTANT TO YOU?
We stand for struggling families and working parents who are doing everything they can but still feel they are coming up short. Their kids have mental health or behavioral issues, and they are in a place where life has become unmanageable. We created this company to help these parents in distress.
WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING?
After a charge from my late grandfather to help one million people, we set about the work of scaling our solutions. We did it! Between all of the Cadey videos, articles, courses, and assessments, we have reached 1.4 million families. Now, we are going through a more scalable channel with our B2B platform, where companies can offer this as a benefit to thousands of employees at once. This will allow us to proliferate the supports families need faster and more effectively than ever.
WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRES YOU TO DO THIS WORK?
My late grandpa and my dad inspired us to start this company. My dad is a software scaling expert and the father of the Scaled Agile Framework. He still inspires me every day. I’m sure my grandpa is cheering for us, too!
WHAT’S YOUR VISION, YOUR BIG DREAM FOR THE IMPACT YOU WANT TO MAKE?
In the big picture, I want child psychology support to be available to everyone who needs it. I know this is possible because we have already accomplished so much with so little. We wondered if it was possible to replicate the work we did in the clinic with an online platform. We thought, what if we could take all of our gold nuggets from the field and put them into a tool that is accessible right now for parents in distress? What happened?! It worked. If a kid is freaking out right now, a parent can get help on their phone right in that moment. This help comes in the form of quick videos, articles, courses, and webinars. It’s the most exciting work any of us have done in our lives. We can’t wait to see how this unfolds.
WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING?
We are now reaching out to employers who would like to offer Cadey as an employee benefit. We are seeking partners to support the effort. Insurance brokers, HR professionals, benefits consultants, and those in similar roles, we want to talk to you!
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CAUSE AND/OR THE WORK YOU’RE DOING?
I want families to know that they are not alone. Some kids are tough. They need more help. Even if you are the most loving parent in the world, you will need support sometimes. We created this whole company to support you, and we won’t stop until this happens. In the U.S. right now, waitlists are 18 months to get your kid in for an assessment. In schools, the ratio of kids to school psychologists is 1200:1. Nationwide, there are about 100,000 psychologists to serve the 17 million kids who need help. We created Cadey to address this extreme shortage of providers. The marriage of technology, AI, and solid psychology science makes it possible to get families the help they need now.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE QUOTE OR WORDS OF INSPIRATION TO SHARE?
Ambitious goals are hard. There are many setbacks. You get uncomfortable. My advice is to lean into that discomfort and do it anyway. In the big picture, doing the right thing is always worth it. If you have a big dream, go for it. Actually, make it bigger and bolder, and then go for it. When you put yourself out there like that, people know. They see your authenticity and want to help. The resources you need will appear as you go along. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one bold step.
HOW CAN OTHERS SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR CAUSE?
Employers and benefits providers, come sign up for a demo. Go to Cadey.co and click the green button. We look forward to meeting you.
At Orapin, we believe those who are working for the greater good should be known, supported, and celebrated. We help purpose-driven organizations generate consistent media coverage and thought leadership opportunities to increase awareness, influence, and impact. If you would like to be featured in INSPIRED IMPACT™, reach out to hello@orapin.co.